Survivor: Stepstones
by robulusjgreisonne
Summary: 16 Contestants from across Westeros and Essos compete in a game of survival for a million golden dragons. Every 3 days one person will be voted out, leaving one Sole Survivor.


Episode 1: Roses, Lions and Krakens, Oh My!

DAY 1

**BLOODSTONE TRIBE**: ARIANNE MARTELL, DAENERYS TARGARYEN, JAMIE LANNISTER, JON SNOW, LYSA TULLY, MARGAERY TYRELL, RENLY BARATHEON, VARYS

**GREY GALLOWS TRIBE: **ASHA GREYJOY, CERSEI LANNISTER, DROGO, LORAS TYRELL, OLENNA REDWYNE, PETYR BAELISH, SANSA STARK, TYRION LANNISTER

BLOODSTONE

The Bloodstone Tribe stepped off the boat onto their beach with the game already in motion. Renly Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell stood close together at the front of the group already deep in conversation, Jamie Lannister and Jon Snow were scanning the area, looking for materials for a shelter. Varys, dressed extravagantly was talking with Arianne Martell. At the rear of the group, Daenerys Targaryen strode confidently onto the beach, while Lysa Tully looked nervously around the group. She made a move towards talking to Daenerys, but was discouraged by Arianne taking Daenerys aside to talk to.

"_I had only stepped off the boat on Bloodstone Island and already was suspicious of the people around me_."She would later recount in a confessional. "_Jon Snow, Eddard's bastard, he can't be trusted I was sure, the result of betrayal of my sister. The Targaryen girl. She's probably crazy, like her father, the Mad King. Margaery Tyrell, Tyrells can't be trusted, and she just has this look about her, brown hair falling on her face, covering herself, covering secrets. The Dornish girl, a Martell her name escapes me. Varys, the eunuch, bald, fat and dressed extravagantly. How would that help him on this desolate island? The Master of Whispers, This man is not trustworthy. The Kingslayer, the younger Baratheon, I don't have a friend in the world._

_Why did I agree to this? I should've stayed with my little Robert in the Eyrie. But I am determined to bring some glory to the Tully and Arryn names, the forgotten Houses among the Seven Kingdoms. And this was the way to do it. To be the Sole Survivor, it would change all that. I have to find an ally, so I asked myself who was the easiest to manipulate, and who would not betray me? The answer to the latter is of course, none of them, but I had to try. I decided on the youngest, most vulnerable of the group. The Targaryen girl. Daenerys, I believe her name is. But when I moved to approach her, Arianne Martell cut me off. So I decided for now it's best to prove myself as a good worker around camp_."

Lysa moved off to help Jon and Jamie, who were already getting to work on the shelter.

GREY GALLOWS

On the Grey Gallows Island, Loras Tyrell stood to the side observing his tribe. Drogo and Asha Greyjoy were already working on the shelter, while Petyr Baelish, Littlefinger, was chatting with his grandmother Olenna Redwyne Tyrell. Sansa Stark was meekly listening to a conversation between Cersei and Tyrion Lannister, the two siblings who Loras knew despised one another, but they were hiding it well for the moment.

"_Everyone surely knows about my connection with my Grandmother, but I was hoping to keep it some kind of a secret, so I'm ignoring her, for the moment. Baelish, Littlefinger is too slippery but he needs to be neutralised. Kept away from people to manipulate."_ Loras stated to a camera set up for an interview. _ "My strength on this tribe is clear, I'm the only one with strength and cunning, a certain asset to his tribe, Drogo's too savage, too stupid to strategise, and the Greyjoy girl is strong yes, but too ironborn to be flexible enough to survive in this game. So to me it's clear I'm going to be around for a while. The Stark girl, Sansa, is a good target for my charms. That's what I think anyway. Gods know I've charmed her in the past. She's probably dreamt of being swept off her feet and married to him in a fit of chivalry and romance. Gods help her if she knew the truth. The only hope she has is a marriage of politics with me." _Loras laughed and the producer smiled at him knowingly. "_The others have to be carefully navigated, the Lannister siblings Cersei and Tyrion are cunning and manipulative but will they get along? That's something that needs to be felt out. If one can be got rid of early, or at least completely turned against the other, the other could be useful for my purposes. And Grandmother, the alliance there is unspoken, but I have to be careful I don't get caught in the crosshairs of her own planning and agenda. For after all, she puts herself and her success above all others. But what else could you expect?_"

BLOODSTONE

"_I didn't think I had a friend in the world on the Bloodstone tribe."_ Daenerys told a producer in an interview_ "There's only one other person in this game I know: Drogo, my Dothraki husband. And of course he was on the opposite tribe to me. You're all very cunning and savvy_, _separating nearly all of the partnerships and possible connections. I noticed that I'm on a tribe with _him,_ that man. No. Not even a man. The beast that slayed my father. I am the blood of the dragon. My brother, Viserys always warned me not to wake the dragon. Jamie Lannister has done that, before I was even born. I will get my revenge on him, but it has to be sneaky. It can't be direct." _

"Are you the Targaryen girl?" A short, olive skinned woman, with large dark eyes, and long black hair that fell in ringlets to the middle of her back. It was a stark contrast to Daenerys' silver blonde hair, pale white skin and distinctive Valyrian purple eyes.

"Depends, who's asking?" Dany replied, wary of the strange woman. She was of the Seven Kingdoms, Dany knew, but she wasn't the typical looking Westerosi. She was nothing like Ser Jorah, or any of the others of that land she had seen. Dany did not want to give up too much, too early, with enemies of House Targaryen all around she had to hold her cards close to her chest.

"Arianne Martell, Princess of Dorne and heir to the Sunspear. I am a friend." The Dornish woman replied.

"I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, heir to the Iron Throne, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Lord of the Seven Kingdoms and Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, if we're comparing titles." Though still wary of this woman, Dany respected how upfront she was with her, and thought she'd return the favour.

"That's all well and good, but I'd keep that to yourself for the time being. You've a great deal of enemies here, and a lot of them scheming for your end in this game, and your throne back in Westoros. See over there, that's Renly Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell." Arianne was pointing to a slender girl with curly brown hair who appeared to be deep in conversation with a tall clean shaven man with cropped, jet black hair. "They fancy themselves as King and Queen of the Iron Throne. Over there, that tall blonde—"

"I know who _he_ is." Dany spat the words out like venom.

"The Kingslayer, yes. His sister is the Queen, his close, twin sister. The man he's working with is Jon Snow, the bastard of Eddard Stark; the Starks are no friends to the Targaryens. And that woman, helping but glaring at Snow. Lysa Arryn of House Tully, she's unpredictable and crazy, and trusts no one. She's no fan of Snow, or Lannister, but she isn't exactly a friend to the Targaryens either."

"Yes, the Arryns helped put the Usurper on the throne." Dany could feel her emotions taking control of her, and Arianne sensed it too.

"You need to be smart, Daenerys, saying things like that will get you into hot water here."

"I know. Who's the eunuch?" Dany asked, indicating the hairless, round man dressed in silks. Surely he couldn't last long out here.

"Varys, Master of Whisperers to the king. To your father as well as the Usurper. He serves himself, or the Realm so he claims, and no one else. He isn't to be trusted. However, he's one of the best allies we can hope for. You're an easy target Daenerys. Young, small and perceived as weak, and not well liked among many on this tribe by virtue of your birth. We need to move quickly to shift that target. Varys can help us with that."

GREY GALLOWS

"_It's a little overwhelming" _Sansa Stark recounted in her confessional. "_My tribe mates are all so intimidating. Queen Cersei, beautiful, intelligent and powerful. Her brother the Imp may be physically ugly and weak but I have heard of his wit and intelligence. The same as that of Lord Baelish, a childhood companion of my mother's. _ _But I don't recognise that large, tan man. He's not of Westeros I know. And that sharp nosed, long legged woman. I think she's from the Iron Islands." _

Sansa was sitting among a large majority of the tribe outside of the shelter.

"Lady Sansa, how lovely to see your face again," Sansa melted at the sight Loras Tyrell. "If you don't mind, I'd like a private word with you," he said in a low voice. "Will you help me collect some supplies for the shelter?" Loras asked at a more audible volume.

They walked away from the group, Sansa completely oblivious to the suspicious looks from the rest of the group. Except Drogo, who was already happily felling small trees and collecting branches, assisted by Asha Greyjoy, who was still keeping her eye on the rest of the group.

When they were far enough from the group, Loras spoke to her in the same lower voice as before. "Sansa, I want to make an alliance with you here and now."

"Of course I accept, who am I to turn down an ally in this game?"

"_That was a bold move,"_ Sansa would recount later, _"I thought he must really trust me._ _I thought no one would make an alliance otherwise_."

"What do you think they're talking about, sister?" Tyrion asked Cersei, in a somewhat mocking tone.

"Don't play games with me Tyrion, we both know he wants little Sansa under his wing. We need her; she'd be a valuable pawn. But Tyrell got to him first. That's a three already, Lady Redwyne is surely an unspoken ally of her grandson."

"Cersei, you panic too much, but make very true points. And we do have problems, because they may have a fourth. Littlefinger is trying his hand at manipulating the Queen of Thorns. Here's what we do. I'll try my hand at helping out those two over there." He inclined his head to indicate Drogo and Asha. "And you in the meanwhile, work those charms of yours on Sansa, let her know there are other options. If all goes well with the other two, she's going to be the swing vote."

"_Tyrion is right, as usual. Just like Father. Always like Father. Don't you ever tell him I said that!" _she threatened a producer with a stern look_ "But for the moment I have to go with him. He is my only solid ally on this tribe and that's about as solid as the sand of this beach_"

"Ser Loras," Cersei said in her sweetest, most charming tones as she approached the young pair in conversation. "The Greyjoy girl looks like she could need a hand with the Dothraki, his pace is hard to match. My brother is attempting to help, but well, you can imagine how that might go." She laughed her silvery, but slightly hollow laugh. "Sansa and I might go foraging for some food, what say you Sansa? Let's see what we've got around here, shall we?"

Loras Tyrell glared furiously at Cersei Lannister, but had no choice but to let her steer young Sansa Stark away from his influence, and bring her deeper into the forest in search of something for a meal.

DAY 2

BLOODSTONE

"_Of course I know of all the plotting on the island already."_ Varys smiled as he chatted with the camera like an old friend "_. Arianne Martell has brought the Targaryen girl into a partnership; they're after me as a third. Lysa Arryn's paranoid and occupying herself with Jamie Lannister and Jon Snow, those two are physically orientated and not ready for scheming yet. Margaery Tyrell and Renly Baratheon are, naturally, already a pair. I hold the cards really, either side need me to move on. And no one will trust me enough to fully commit to my support. And that is exactly what I want."_

He was not the first to rise, Jon Snow already up and at work trying to start a fire. Varys could have slipped passed completely unnoticed if he'd wanted to, but a decided to have little conversation with the young bastard of Ned Stark.

"_I thought it might give me some good insight into how he's going to approach the game. I'm almost puzzled by him. Jon Snow is difficult to unravel, honour driven like Ned Stark seems likely, but Jon Snow is a different kind of silent to Stark." _He later recalled.

"Good morning Jon Snow, I trust you slept well?" Varys addressed the young man with courtesy dripping with honey, designed to put others at ease and drop their guard.

"Better than you I'd think." Jon Snow replied, a hint of condescension in his voice.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Varys replied, allowing the hint of a smile to cross his face. "I spent much of my youth sleeping in streets in the Free Cities. I wasn't raised in a castle like you were."

Jon Snow didn't reply, and continued to fruitlessly try to make a spark with two stones.

"_I can read him like a book; he's keeping his cards close to his chest. He won't expect the backstabbing, he's slow to trust, but will trust unconditionally. Past reputations are important to him, and Snow won't bond with anyone he considered below him._ _Which, I suspect, means myself and most of the tribe._" Varys smiled to himself at the memory.

As the rest of the tribe awoke, the day went by slowly and uneventfully. Renly Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell kept their distance from each other, but Margaery wooed every other member of the tribe, using her charm to its fullest extent. Arianne and Daenerys kept their distance as well. Both these cases made the alliances seem all the more obvious. But no attempt at direct strategy surfaced in Day 2, the tribe actually worked together as a tribe to get things done, and get them a meagre meal prepared. How long this would last was anyone's guess.

GREY GALLOWS

At Grey Gallows Beach it was much the same. Asha Greyjoy was trying to fish. Drogo had fashioned some fishing spears from some branches. He was further up the beach, trying with little success to catch a meal.

"_I was sure I might be able to catch some fish even with this crude implement" _She flashed the makeshift fishing spear_."I am ironborn after all. But I decided there wasn't much point when no one could make a fire. You can't eat the fish raw. After the first challenge or tribal council we should have fire and then I can be the hero by catching a fish. Or ten. Maybe sooner if someone gets a fire going."_

Asha decided to call it a day for the moment and headed back to shore. A solitary few moments before she braved the social interaction with the other seven people she dreaded.

"Asha Greyjoy," It seemed her moment was to be interrupted. "Petyr Baelish, we've not been acquainted yet, or before."

"I know who you are," Asha replied, even though she didn't. "I don't play around Baelish, what do you want?"

"_Lord_ Baelish," replied the small man, a slight edge to his voice now. "I was mulling over the possibility of including you in a little, shall we say, group with common interests."

"If we're playing titles, that'd be _Lady _Greyjoy to you, or _Captain_ Greyjoy. Take your pick. As for an alliance, call it what it is, I'm interested of course. I'm not a fool. But forgive me if I take your word for a grain of salt. Who have you got?"

"You are direct, _Lady_ Greyjoy," Asha noted the title he chose to use. "I've got the Tyrells or the Lannisters, your pick. And Sansa Stark. That is not negotiable."

"I wouldn't trust a Lannister as far as I could throw them, though I'd be a good shot with the Imp. As for the Tyrells, where I stand, roses have stung me more with their thorns than pleased me with their smell. But if I had to pick one, I'd pick the Lannisters. They aren't physical threats like Loras Tyrell. We don't need him in the tribal stage. Drogo and I are strong enough."

"Well, well you are opinionated Lady Greyjoy. I'll take it under consideration."

"_That was that moment that I realised that Baelish had much less power and influence than he thought or was trying to convince me. But I'm focussed on winning the immunity challenge with the tribe, the more days to play the hero the better._" She said in a confessional, recalling the conversation.

Asha had a moment alone before getting around to some of the day-to-day jobs of the tribe. She had a lot to think about, but was focused on preparing herself for the immunity challenge. Strength, stamina and swimming. Those would be the important attributes.

DAY 3

BLOODSTONE

On the Bloodstone Beach, Jamie Lannister was the third to wake up on day 3.

"_I'll see Cersei and Tyrion today,"_ Jamie told a producer on the morning of the challenge._ "I wonder how my dear siblings are doing over on the other tribe. At least they have each other, even if they can't get along. I have no one friendly on this tribe. I'm really relying on this challenge and on my camp supporting abilities at this stage of the game, at least until the merged tribe stage. Then I'll be able to link up with Tyrion and Cersei. If they make it that far. They will, though, they're both cunning and intelligent._"

Varys and Jon Snow were already up, the only two who ever rose before Jamie. Varys liked to be awake as long as one other person was, and Jon Snow liked to prove himself a hard worker.

"_We work well together. Silently." _Jamie nodded appreciatively_ "Snow is too arrogant to attempt to be friendly with, and I know he thinks the same of me, if not worse."_

"Morning gentlemen," Jamie said, with a cheery politeness that masked his true disdain for the two men, well one man and a eunuch, sitting at the campside.

"Ser Jamie, always a pleasure to see your face so early in the day," Varys replied, always one-upping Jamie's courtesy.

Jon Snow merely inclined his head and muttered a "Morning" in that northern accent of his.

"I believe we're due for an immunity challenge today. Which means this time tomorrow morning, we'll be one person less. Or the other tribe will be." Jamie said, the prospect of competition exciting him.

"A prospect that delights you, I'm certain Ser Jamie. And you Jon Snow, you're a physical man, the prospect of competition excites you too?" Varys' tone was sweet as honey

"I'll do what I have to for the tribe." Jon Snow replied, short and to the point. This one was a Stark, by blood and nature, if not by name.

Arianne Martell and Daenerys Targaryen soon joined them. The hatred and fury radiating from Dany's violet eyes was obvious, it came to the forefront every time she looked at Jamie.

Lysa soon followed, keeping to herself, but watching her tribemates closely, constantly.

"_Margaery and Renly are always last to rise, they act as if they're the King and Queen of the tribe, and seem to think they've charmed us all into not noticing their obvious laziness. Renly's an asset in physical challenges though, but Margaery is the dangerous one. Wily, intelligent and she's got as many connections on the other tribe as I do._" Jamie mused in response to a prompt from the producer interviewing him.

"Guys, it's time for the challenge." Arianne Martell said as she returned with a small square sheet of parchment.

"Any ideas as to what it is?" Varys asked her.

"You could always read it to the rest of us." Lysa snapped at her.

"I was getting to that, you never gave me a chance. Relax!"

GREY GALLOWS

On Grey Gallows, Olenna Redwyne trailed behind the group on their way to the challenge; the mail had indicated some kind of puzzle and swimming activity.

"_I was obviously hoping to be put on puzzle, it plays to my strengths. Not that I can't swim. I did grow up on the Arbor it was an essential skill. But I'd rather like to play up the weak old lady angle for a bit longer._" Olenna was as blunt as usual in her interviews for the camera. She held nothing back.

They arrived at a rocky beach, unlike the sandy ones that they called home. A set up showed two rows of floating platforms of wood out to sea, with a pathway bordered by ropes splitting it into two lanes. Five platforms in each, Olenna counted. Further up the beach at the tree line stood two wooden tables with raised edges, a place to assemble a puzzle. Their deductions were correct.

"Welcome to your first challenge," Jeor Mormont, the Old Bear of the Night's Watch appeared to be their host for this competition. Olenna respected him. He was direct, if not somewhat lacking in intellect. "This challenge is for immunity and for reward." At this point he lifted the cloth on a small wooden table he was standing next to, to reveal the immunity idol, a small bronze bear statue, the sigil of his house. "A little narcissistic yes, but it was the only thing I could think of. They will also win a fire making kit, containing flint, kindling and matches." He lifted another cloth to reveal the items he had just listed.

"This challenge is very simple, each tribe will divide into a group of three and a group of five. The group of three will be doing a puzzle; the group of five will be swimming. On my mark one member of each tribe will run down the beach, swim out to any of the five wooden platforms, dive down from on the wooden platform and retrieve a puzzle bag, and return to the starting line, tag in the next member and they will do the same thing. Once you have all five puzzle bags, the three other members of the tribe will assemble the puzzle, and identify what it is and whom it belongs to. So if everyone's clear, lets divide into our groups"

Lining up for Grey Gallows were Asha, Cersei, Drogo, Loras and Sansa. Olenna stood off to the side with Petyr and Tyrion. They would be doing the puzzle. Accordingly, a small stepladder had been placed in front of the Grey Gallows puzzle table so as not to disadvantage Tyrion.

Looking over, Olenna saw the Bloodstones tribe division. The Martell girl, the Targaryen girl, Jamie Lannister, Ned Stark's bastard and Renly Baratheon looked like they were doing the swimming. It seemed that Lysa Tully, Varys and her granddaughter Margaery would be doing the puzzle. The puzzle solvers were fairly equal, this would likely come down to whoever got the better lead on the swimming portion.

BLOODSTONE

"_I was pleased to be put on the puzzle and I was happy Varys was as well." _Margaery recounted. _I suspected Lysa might provide complications, from what I had heard, but she had been fairly cooperative around camp_ _so I wasn't too worried."_

Lining up to face off first was Renly for the Bloodstones, against Drogo for Grey Gallows. This would be interesting, Margaery was sure Dothraki could not swim; yet if he had volunteered to be on an island, he must have learned something.

"Survivors, ready?" Jeor Mormont called as he raised his hand. He paused for a few seconds, and then brought his hand down as he called "Go!"

Renly and the Dothraki both ran down the beach to the water, Renly had the lead and splashed through the shallow end before diving in and swimming towards the furthest platform. Drogo on the other hand ran for as far as he could and actually managed to make it only a short swim from the first platform. He climbed onto it, stared into the water for a few seconds and dived. He surfaced with a bag and made his way to shore. As he reached the finish line and tagged Sansa Stark in, Margaery saw Renly emerging from underwater, further out to sea. He had his puzzle bag and was swimming back to shore. He made it back as Sansa reached the second platform out to sea.

"Grey Gallows has the lead in this challenge, Sansa about to dive for their second puzzle bag," Mormont commentated.

"Let's go Renly!" Margaery called out as Renly made it back to shore. But Sansa was not far behind him, and was surprisingly quick, they made it back at the same time and Cersei Lannister took off at the same time as Arianne Martell, the two women neck in neck and heading for the same middle, third platform.

"Grey Gallows leads two bags to one. Cersei and Arianne directly racing but Bloodstone is behind!"

Arianne won the race as Daenerys Targaryen took off a few seconds before Asha Greyjoy. Heading for the first platform, Bloodstone's strategy paid off as the scores quickly levelled at 3 bags all as Jon Snow headed for the water, just as Asha managed to retrieve her bag. Jon was only slightly behind Asha as they tagged in the final members, Loras Tyrell for Grey Gallows and Jamie Lannister for Bloodstone.

"This challenge is neck in neck as we go into the last leg of the swimming race"

Loras and Jamie were hard to separate in their race, but Bloodstone's strategy had paid off as Jamie only had to go to the fourth platform, while Loras had further to go to the fifth. This gave Bloodstone at least a 20 to 30 second lead as they began their puzzle.

Margaery focused and blocked out all sounds but the voices of Varys and Lysa, communicating solely with them. She vaguely heard the sound of Mormont commentating, including the fateful "Loras returns with the last bag, Grey Gallows can start on their puzzle"

Margaery stared at the puzzle pieces, matching lines and shapes and colours in her mind. 

"But if that one goes here," Lysa said to Varys.

"Then this one goes there! Margaery, that one you have should go here." Varys indicated a spot in the top left. Margaery laid it down and as Varys put the last piece down threw her hand up in the air, depicting two castle towers with a bridge linking them. "Done!"

Mormont came over to inspect, Margaery saw her grandmother still working furiously at the puzzle. "What is it?"

Margaery had forgotten about that part of the challenge, she looked over as Tyrion Lannister placed the last piece of the puzzle into place, just as she heard…

"The sigil of House Frey of the Twins!" the voice belonged to Lysa, who screamed in triumph.

"Bloodstone, wins immunity and reward!" Mormont declared.

The challenge had come down to the wire, it was so close. But Margaery was safe for another three days. That was what was important.

She squeezed Renly's hand as the tribe walked away in victory, Lysa triumphantly carrying the immunity idol and Jon carrying the fire making kit.

"Who do you think is going home?" she asked Renly, both with a clear worry for their loved one, Loras.

"I'd stake my bets on Tyrion or Cersei Lannister," Varys answered the question not meant for him, as he materialised next to the two.

"I wouldn't want to be on that beach." Renly added.

GREY GALLOWS

"Drogo," was the name Asha gave to Petyr, and he was shocked.

"Are you sure? I think we should go for Olenna Redwyne."

"No. We don't need Drogo. Anything he can do, I can do better, or Loras Tyrell can." Asha was adamant on this point. His eyes darted around the campsite. Tyrion was working over the very man Asha wanted to vote out. "You're not willing to negotiate on this?" Petyr questioned.

"I'm writing down his name, you're free to do so or not, but we did make a commitment to one another." Asha was determined and steadfast.

"_When Asha gave me Drogo's name I thought to myself, this might be a problem_._" _Petyr Baelish twirled his beard as he usually did in his confessionals. _"And then I began to think that maybe she wasn't the best choice of ally. A bit more strong-willed then I initially thought. I was nervous, I didn't nearly have the sway with Sansa or the Lannisters I tried to present to Asha. Excuse me; it's time to scramble. _Petyr had quickly established that he ended these interviews on his own terms.

"Asha wants Drogo out." Petyr Baelish said to Tyrion

"Drogo? Is she actually a fool? It should be Olenna Redwyne and that's all there is to it. And if you and my sister were competent in any way you'd have Sansa Stark's vote for certain!" Tyrion momentarily lost control of his emotions, before containing himself again. "I'm sorry, that was out of line."

"Don't worry about that my dear friend, we will work it out anyway and get Olenna Redwyne out." Littlefinger was unfazed by Tyrion's outburst, which worried the small Lannister man.

"Well if you don't mind, my sister and I have things to discuss." Tyrion wandered off to where his sister was emerging from the woods with Sansa Stark, who scurried off in the direction of Loras Tyrell.

"You got her?" Tyrion asked her.

"Of course I did, she's putting the old woman's name down." Cersei snapped back. "You doubt my ability here _little _brother?"

"A little, dear sister, but Lannister wits always come through. "

As darkness fell, the eight Grey Gallows members picked up their long torches and marched off towards Tribal Council, for the first vote of the game.

A roaring fire and the Old Bear greeted them as they arrived.

"Welcome to Tribal Council, dip your torches and get fire. Fire represents your life in this game. Grey Gallows you have the unlucky 'honour' of being the first tribe to attend Tribal Council. Olenna, why are you here and not the other tribe?"

"We lost the challenge, Jeor, simple as that." Classic Olenna, blunt and truthful.

"Why did you lose the challenge, Loras?"

"It was so close, Jeor, and I can only say that maybe someone didn't swim as fast as they could have. It's hard to tell, they weren't direct races."

"We didn't have the right strategy, simple as that." Olenna concluded for her grandson.

"Asha, who is going home tonight?"

"I don't know Jeor, my vote is decided and I can only hope that people keep their word."

"Are you in danger?"

"I don't think I am Jeor, I'm a huge asset to this tribe."

"Cersei, who is the weakest member of the tribe?"

"I'm not, that's all I can say. Each member has their strengths and weaknesses, I think this will come down to loyalties, and promises made."

"Tyrion, what will you decide your vote on?"

"I've decided it based on what will help the tribe, and thus me, move further ahead in this game. I don't want to be here in three days time."

"A good strategy." Jeor Mormont commented. "That being said, it's time to vote. Cersei, you're up first."

Cersei Lannister made her way to the voting area, wrote down a name and held it up to the camera.

"Olenna, you may be the Queen of Thorns, but there's only room for one Queen around here."

One by one the tribe members went up to vote. Petyr, Tyrion, Olenna, Loras and Sansa all cast their votes.

"Tyrion, you're the weakest here." Drogo was straight to the point.

"Drogo, anything you can do, I can do better." Asha was similarly blunt.

As Asha returned to her seat and sat down, Petyr flashed her a very quick smile. It was a 'blink-and-you'll-miss-it" moment.

"I'll go tally the votes." Jeor informed the castaways. He walked towards the voting podium, returned with the heavy, bronze urn and set it on the table.

"Once the votes are read the decision is final, and the person voted out will be asked to leave the tribal council area immediately. I'll now read the votes."

"First vote: _Drogo_. That's one vote Drogo."

The votes came up _Olenna. Tyrion. Asha._

"That's one vote each Drogo, Olenna, Tyrion and Asha."

Two of the four looked nervous. Tyrion and Asha were clearly not expecting votes. Drogo looked slightly annoyed, and Olenna looked unsurpised. She was calm and relaxed, confident almost.

_Olenna_

"Two votes Olenna, one vote Drogo, Tyrion and Asha." Olenna began to smile, but caught herself.

_Asha_

"Two votes Olenna and Asha, one vote Drogo and Tyrion." Asha was visibly upset now.

_Asha_

Three votes Asha, two votes Olenna, one vote Drogo and one vote Tyrion. One vote left. If this vote is for Olenna we have a tie, if it is for anyone else, Asha will be going home."

Jeor Mormont pulled the last piece of parchment from the urn, unfolded it, paused to read it and then spoke as he turned it around.

"First person voted out of Survivor Stepstones, _Asha_, that's four votes and enough, you need to bring me your torch."

Stony faced and furious, Asha Greyjoy picked up her burning torch and without a word walked towards Jeor Mormont.

"Asha, the tribe has spoken" Jeor said as he snuffed out her torch.

Asha did not turn to look at her tribemates as she walked away from Tribal Council on the wooden bridge leading away from it.

"Well it's clear this tribe is not a unified tribe, which may see you back here again. You now have fire, grab your torches and head back off to camp. Goodnight.

ASHA's FINAL WORDS

As she speaks her final words the votes flash by below her on screen. Cersei's vote for Olenna, Petyr's vote for Asha, Tyrion's vote for Olenna, Olenna, Loras and Sansa's votes for Asha, Drogo's vote for Tyrion and Asha's vote for Drogo.

"_That was a complete shock. They've made a huge mistake and lost a valuable tribe member. Not everyone sticks to their word like I do, clearly. A life lesson I learnt too late to help me in this game sadly. I'm embarrassed to go home first, but I suppose someone had to. I hope someone from the other tribe wins, my tribe don't deserve it_."


End file.
